A pergola can be the perfect backyard oasis, but they’re also fun to build.
They’re a perfect blend of big honkin’ timbers, some pretty neat carpentry and a little landscaping thrown in for good measure. The simple combination of posts and open rafters is ideal for highlighting entrances, masking storage areas, providing privacy and especially creating some shade. I built this one as a focal point for an outdoor dining area—and to reclaim an unused patch of the backyard.
Materials and Design
It’s just four posts and some boards, but a pergola must stand plumb, level and square through all kinds of weather. I chose attractive, naturally rot-resistant western red cedar for this job. I’ve built plenty of pergolas with pressure-treated lumber too–if you go that route, just make sure the lumber is rated for ground contact. For this project, I built a frame on the ground to mark my four posts’ locations before digging. I moved the frame out of the way, dug the postholes and brought the frame back. Then I backfilled the 6 x 6 posts and fastened them to the frame.
Click here to read more by Mark on Popular Mechanics.
Pergolas are such a stylish and useful structure, and many people are unaware of what they are and what they have to offer!
That’s a good looking pergola!
THANK YOU!!!!
My wife and I have been doing some work in our yard ever since the weather warmed up. I am considering putting up a pergola, so I appreciated this post. I liked Cal’s last comment about how using pergolas as greenery support is a beautiful addition, which is something that I hadn’t thought of yet, but I definitely can agree with. Thanks for sharing this post!
Awesomeness. Please share photos of your work on our Facebook page. Thanks for checking in!
Great post. Growing up, my father and I built a pergola on some land we owned. Today, that pergola is still there, and now there are grape vines growing all over it. Nobody mentioned in this article or in the comments, but using pergolas as greenery support is a beautiful, functional addition to any property!
One of the cooler things about pergolas is that there are many different ways you can build them. For instance, the one pictures above is made out of wood with wooden beams going across it. One of my neighbors has one that he built out of wood and metal. Adding one to your backyard would be a great project to undergo. However, if you are unsure about what to do, you can always hire someone to do it for you.
It’s important that you pick a good type of wood for your pergola. It has to be able withstand and weather through all sorts of weather. They do stay outside all year, so it’s good to keep that in mind when building it.
[…] show you what I was able to create in our yard in yard in western Pennsylvania based on your article “How to Plan and Post a Perfect Pergola.” This replaces an old metal gazebo above a patio tucked next to a hillside next retaining […]
This seems like a really simple and effective design that you could put pretty much anywhere in your yard or patio. My family spends quite a bit of time outside on the patio and in the yard, so we would really benefit from something like this to give us a little extra shade. Besides, I think it would add quite a bit to the aesthetic of the landscape design.
I really like the look of pergolas. It would be nice to have a large one in my backyard. It would be great for entertaining during the summer. I want one that is going to offer a lot of protection and shade from the sun. http://www.durakool.com/#!lattice-patio-covers/c7ge